Barca were close to securing a deal to sign the Ivory Coast midfielder before surprisingly ending their interest in the 26-year-old.

Franklin Mala, Seri’s agent, says PSG got involved in the situation before Barca opted to pull the plug on the deal.

“PSG called Nice three days ago to try and screw Barca over,” he is quoted as saying in Sport.

“Now PSG are putting pressure on the club to take the player. It’s crazy. They just want to do it to f— Barca.”

PSG and Barcelona have been at odds with each other throughout the summer, first over Barca’s failed move for Marco Verratti and then Neymar’s world-record move from the Camp Nou to the French capital.

Speaking earlier this week, Seri said: ‘We’ll see about my future, but I don’t believe this was my last game for Nice. If it happens with Barcelona, that’s good, otherwise I am happy in Nice.’